The
UFC may have new ownership, but the organization’s plans for
international expansion remain the same.

“[We’re] picking up right where we left off, like we’ve always
been, going into new territories,” UFC President Dana White said on
the
UFC “Unfiltered” podcast.

One target destination for the Las Vegas-based promotion is Russia,
and White confirmed that there have been talks to hold an event in
the nation with lightweight contender Khabib
Nurmagomedov as a centerpiece.

“Khabib has been blowing me up. I haven’t really given Khabib any
information, but obviously Khabib in Russia wouldn’t be a bad
idea,” White said. “So we’re talking about going into Russia
possibly with Khabib.”

Such an event would have to take place in 2017 at the earliest, as
the UFC has already unveiled the rest of its schedule for this
year.

After an injury prone couple of years, Nurmagomedov returned to the
Octagon at UFC on Fox 19, where he earned a second-round TKO
victory over short-notice foe Darrell
Horcher. “The Eagle” was supposed to face fellow contender
Tony
Ferguson at the event, but Ferguson had to pull out of the
contest.